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Saturday, June 18, 2011

Asterix is not the first cartoon to be criticised for the level of violence its characters inflict on one another. Here are some more examples of animated brutality that some felt went too far.

Tom and Jerry

The beloved cat-and-mouse duo would never have been made in today's society because of health and safety rules, the director of Bob the Builder claimed last year.

Fears that children will try to imitate the behaviour they see on screen have led to guidelines demanding that modern cartoons must be more "realistic" than in previous generations.

Sarah Ball said: "In the society we live in now there are so many health and safety or 'standard practice’ rules that you have to adhere to because broadcasters are so concerned about imitable behaviour."

Pokemon

For a show whose most recognisable character is an innocent-looking, red-cheeked rodent, the Japanese animated series about a world of collectors seeking out magical species is surprisingly violent.

Rather than looking after their endearing and seemingly harmless pets, or putting them in a zoo, the aim of the programme's "trainers" is rather less wholesome – to teach their charges to fight before pitching them against one another in battle.

The authors of a 2009 study into children's programmes including Pokemon and even Scooby-Doo said violent cartoons and video games could influence children's "aggressive thoughts, feelings and behaviours".

Punch and Judy

A puppeteer in Portsmouth was ordered to lower the level of violence in the traditional children's show last year amid concerns from organisers that some scenes could be deemed offensive by parents.

Daniel Liversidge was ordered to remove any instances of Punch hitting Judy, and swapped his whacking stick for a fluffy mop so that he could tickle her instead.

The puppeteer was also told Punch could no longer put Judy through a mangler or throw a baby out of the bath. He said: "You always get people asking for the traditional stick to come back but you have to move with the times ... at the end of the day I am a children's entertainer and my job is to keep children happy."

Itchy and Scratchy from The Simpsons

OK, it's a cartoon-within-a-cartoon, but Marge Simpson's shock at seeing the gory violence in Bart and Lisa's favourite TV show leads her on a one-woman crusade against the network, in an episode called Itchy & Scratchy & Marge.

Condemning the "needless brutality" with which the cat and mouse – a parody of Tom and Jerry – attack one another, she spearheads a campaign that forces the show's makers to dramatically tone down the cartoon. After several turgid episodes in which Itchy and Scratchy trade presents and hugs instead of missiles and bullets, the show's ratings plunge as children lose interest.

Fortunately for the network, Marge destroys her credibility by refusing to lead a similar censorship drive against Michaelangelo's David, upon which Itchy and Scratchy immediately returns to its original form.

Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck exhibition

In an exhibition parodying the concern some parents express about violence in cartoons, artist James Cauty and his 15-year-old son Harry drew a series of "Splatter" images showing Looney Tunes characters being brutally shot, decapitated and eaten alive.

The 2008 exhibit, displayed at the London Aquarium Gallery, included a picture of Daffy Duck's head exploding as he is shot at point blank range by Bugs Bunny, and blood dripping down Sylvester the cat's face as he takes a bite out of Tweety Pie, having finally caught his budgerigar rival.

Mr Cauty said: "Its very difficult to shock kids these days – you have cartoon characters being shot in the head and walking off cliffs, so we have decided to replace them with something more realistic."